"WE KNEW IT ALL ALONG"

[jacmac]

It has been said by others on this forum that acceptance of a new paradigm in science comes in three phases:
1. Lack of any consideration
2. Labeling new ideas as pseudoscience and with ridicule.
3. We knew it all along.

This seems like we have entered the third phase.
http://www.nasa.gov/feature/goddard/201 ... etic-field

The majestic auroras have captivated humans for thousands of years, but their nature – the fact that the lights are electromagnetic and respond to solar activity – WAS ONLY REALIZED IN THE LAST 150 YEARS.

Capitals mine.

I guess Birkeland's trip to the mountains of Norway at the start of the 20th century to study the aurora was unnecessary.
Jack

[Maol]

I'm anticipating their epiphany that SW and CME delivered Oxygen ions + Protons + Electrons = H2O

[Michael Mozina]

It has been said by others on this forum that acceptance of a new paradigm in science comes in three phases:
1. Lack of any consideration
2. Labeling new ideas as pseudoscience and with ridicule.
3. We knew it all along.

This seems like we have entered the third phase.
http://www.nasa.gov/feature/goddard/201 ... etic-field

The majestic auroras have captivated humans for thousands of years, but their nature – the fact that the lights are electromagnetic and respond to solar activity – WAS ONLY REALIZED IN THE LAST 150 YEARS.

Capitals mine.

I guess Birkeland's trip to the mountains of Norway at the start of the 20th century to study the aurora was unnecessary.
Jack

Well, not yet at least. If you watch the video, and read the article, you'll notice they're still trying to chalk the process up to "magnetic reconnection" (which Alfven called pseudoscience) rather than embracing circuit theory with respect to the magnetosphere as Birkeland and Alfven suggested. Even the presence of a continuous flow of charged particle solar wind *should* make it obvious that circuit theory applies to the process. Circuit theory will and does explain the presence of a constant flow of charged particles from the sun. They're not quite ready to come out of the closet yet with respect to circuit theory as it applies to solar system physics, and they're still clinging to their magnetic reconnection blanket for all it's worth.